374 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Among the great number of seedlings that have been produced 

 here and brought into very early bearing by girdling nothing won- 

 derful has appeared, though I have several varieties that compare 

 favorably with the Wealthy in size and quality and keep much 

 longer. 



roses: their successful cultivation 

 and varieties. 



J. M. UNDERWOOD, LAKE CITY. 



ist. Sunlight. — The first requisite is plenty of sunlight. It 

 will not do to plant them in a shaded place, for the sun is needed to 

 warm the soil and stimulate the root system ; it is needed to ripen 

 the wood for the long sleep of winter, and in blossoming time to 

 furnish the warmth that distils the delicate perfume and to impart 

 the beauty of coloring that places the rose on its throne as the 

 queen of flowers. 



2nd. Moisture. — The next most important requirement is mois- 

 ture. This can only be made certain by some provision for irri- 

 gating the ground during the dry periods. It can be taken from 

 the water system of the town, or a good and cheap plan is to have 

 a tank or reservoir filled from a well by a windmill. Water should 

 be applied by thoroughly soaking the ground so that it is full of 

 moisture, much as a hard rain of several hours would do it. When 

 in bloom the blossoms should not be showered too much, but the 

 water should run on the ground in little ditches from one bush to 

 another until it has taken up all that it will. The time to irrigate 

 is before the ground is dry and suffering from thirst. Do not spray 

 the surface of the ground and imagine that the roots have had 

 enough. Be liberal when you do water them and then let them go 

 until they need more. Usually the ground is wet enough early in 

 the spring; but it is sometimes dry at that season, and the roots need 

 a wetting the first thing after they are uncovered. During the 

 month of October do not water the ground, but allow the growth 

 to stop and the wood to ripen for winter. 



3rd. Soil. — The ideal soil for roses is a good rich clay loam. 

 They will do well in sandy soil if a little clay and plenty of rich ma- 

 nure is mixed with it, and it is then generously watered. They will 

 not do well in hard clay that is impervious to water or in gravel 

 that drains it all away. 



4th. Cultivation. — This is very important, for it helps to stim- 

 ulate the action of the roots by quickly imparting to them the food 



